Device for supporting and actuating hypodermic syringes



H. MALM Nov. 24, 1953 DEVICE FOR SUPPORTING AND ACTUATING HYPODERMIC SYRINGES Filed Oct. 10, 1951 INVENTOR HENRY MHLM Patented Nov. 24, 1953 UNITED STATES NT OFFECE DEVICE FOR SUPPORTING AND ACTUATING HYPODERMIC SYRINGES 7 Claims.

This invention relates to'devices for supporting and operating hypodermic syringes and the like in the operation of iniecting a fluid into the body. More particularly, the invention deals with a device including means for gripping or pinching the flesh for positioning the device on the body, preparatory to quickly injecting the needle of the syringe into the pinched area. Still more particularly, the invention deals with a device of the character described, wherein the syringe is supported in raised position under tension and is quickly released by means of a trigger facilitating a fast movement of the needle into the body.

The novel features of the invention will be best understood from the following description, when taken together with the accompanying drawing, in which certain embodiments of the invention are disclosed and, in which, the separate parts are designated by suitable reference characters in each of the views and, in which:

Fig. 1 is a side view of a device made according to my invention, diagrammatically illustrating the method of its use and indicating the syringe of the device in operative position in dot-dash lines.

Fig. 2 is a view looking in the direction of the arrow 2 of Fig. l on an enlarged scale and with part of the construction broken away and in section.

Fig. 3 is a partial section on the line 33 of Fig. 2.

Fig. 4 is a sectional plan view on the line A- l .of Fig. 1; and

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view of part of the device in Fig. 1 showing a modification.

In Fig. 1 of the drawing, I have shown one of my improved syringe supporting and operating devices iii, in which a conventional syringe H is detachably mounted. The syringe comprises a lower tube 12, having a detachable nozzle l3, at its lower end, which supports the needle hi. The tube i2 has, at its upper open end, an enlarged flange it which is flattened on opposed sides, as seen at It, note Fig. 4. Supported in the tube 52 is the conventional plunger ll controlling discharge of medication through the needle I4.

The device it) comprises an elongated tubular body or casing having a large diameter upper end it, the large diameter lower collar l9 and an intermediate smaller diameter portion 29. Extending through this tubular body is a bore which freely and snugly receives the tube [2, as will clearly appear from a, consideration of Fig. 3 of the drawing.

The upper enlarged diameter portion ill of the tubular body has, at opposed sides thereof, an upper extension 22 and a lower extension 23 and in these parts are formed vertical passages 24, note Fig. 2, having ring plugs 25 at the upper ends thereof. In these passages are disposed pins 26, having heads 27 at their lower ends operating upon coil springs 28, the pins carrying outwardly of the plugs 25 catch devices 29, having bevelled surfaces 30.

Sufiicient clearance will be provided in the ring plugs to facilitate slight radial movement of the catch devices 29 when the flange I5 is moved over the bevelled surfaces 38 in snapping the flange [5 of the tube 12 into engagement with these devices and, by rotating the tube 90, the flat sides l6, note Fig. 4, can be moved into position to clear the catch devices in the operation of removing the syringe from the holder.

At 35 are shown spring fingers soldered, as seen at 32, to upper end portions 33 of a pair of spring tongs or body grippers 34 secured by screws 35 in vertically grooved portions in the enlarged diameter portion [8. The screws 35 have long collar portions 36, note Fig. 3, on which the tongs 34 are free to move as these tongs are manually operated against the action of the spring fingers 3| which tend to normally move the tongs away from each other.

At one side of the reduced portion 28 of the tubular body are a pair of apertured ears 3'! in which a trigger catch 38 is pivotally mounted. The catch has a fingerpiece or operating end 39 which extends through an aperture 40 in the adjacent tong 34, this aperture being sufiiciently long to also receive a trigger pin or catch device ll, as seen clearly in Fig. 3 of the drawing.

The pin 4! operates in an aperture 42 of the flange i9 and is adapted to seat under the lower portion I2 of the tube H2 or where this tube joins the reduced end 43 thereof, with which the nozzle i3 is coupled. This pin holds the entire syringe in the raised position, as later described. The pin 4| has an annular groove 45, note Fig. 3, and the trigger catch 38 has a forked end operating in the groove 46 to control movement of the pin d! into inoperative position.

The catch has an offset shoulder 46 which is adapted to overlie the flange I9 and is held in this position by a spring 41 fixed to the fingerpiece end 39 of the catch 38 and operating upon the reduced portion 20 of the body.

From the foregoing description, it will be apparent that, after a syringe has been filled with the desired fluid to be injected into the body, the

syringe is placed in the device by simply snapping the flange l5 over the catch devices 29 so that the flanges are arranged beneath these devices, or lugs, as shown in Fig. 2. Then the syringe is pulled upwardly against the action of the springs 28 until the pin dl automatically springs under the portion [2 of the tube I 2. The spring 41 operates tomove the trigger patch ,38 andpin M in this operation.

The device is now ready for use and the oper ator grasps the tongs 34 and places the lower roughened ends 34' of the-tongson the :flesh-bf the body and then moves the tongsztowardazach other against the action of the springs 31, so as to pinch or squeeze the flesh and raise-'a por'tion thereof, as diagrammatically seenatABJn Fig. 1 between the ends 34 of the tongs, whereupon, a finger of the hand gripping and grasping the tongs can be utilized to :actuate the trigger catch 533130 pressithe fingerpieceraendidfl imvardiyithus withdrawing the 11in i-J {to release :the syringe. The springs :28 :will then suddenly :advance the needle :h'i .of "the ssyringe unto the raised portion HEB,iasfindicatediinidot zandda'shilinesiin Fig. 1,

awhereupon, theplungerflil can be unoved 'downwardly to "inject tthefluid into the body.

iSuitable rshoci; absorbing means .is :*preferably proVided atthe:uppensurface of *theenla-rged 'end I8 of the tubular body.and:.in;alinement with'the fiange:i5'oi:the syringe, as illustrated by oircumierentia'lly spa'ce'cl iru'bber rbumpers i 9 {to prevent damage :to the syringe in the :rapid downward imcvement thereof.

InFFig. -5 of :the drawing'iI have shown merely the lowerend portion' of the 'tongs 'ii of a device as Shown in Fig. :1, but illustrating a modified :lower end=construction including inwardly 'proje'cting stop members-cr mes, E0 adaptedtdlimit the upward movement of the' pinched flesh. The stop members fili'thus provide means for accu- '-rately orienting'or positioning the pinched'flesh --with respect to the retracted needle or the syringe, and for-controlling the degree pr penetnatio'n of the 'fiesh in the downward movement of the syringe avhen released byactuation 0f the trigger'-3-9. This element of control is particularlyimportant in instances'where, due to-ageor illness, the flesh may be softer-flabby.

Devices'o'f' the hind underconsideration can be -utilized in administering-many types-of injection into the body and are particularly desirable for use by individuals who-periodically find the need 'Pforfinjectingin'sulin 'orthelike int-oth-e'body. It "will be understood that, by reason of the pinching or'squeezing action'upon the fiesh,-a slight amount of feeling is attributed to this operation which, in turn, "minimizes the feeling and eases the operation of-piercingtheineedle I 4 into'the "flesh.

An outstanjdingiadvantage Of my .device is that it enables aperson to sewa'dministeriiniections in areas of the body which wereheretoforeinac- .cessible withoutthe .assistancen'f .another person. It will be .noted that lthis .advantage 'is .directly attributable .to my ;n0.ve1 combination ofa'fiesh pinching and positioning means with a trigger actuatedisyringesupportingandadvancing.mech- :anism. Inthis-cQnnection, 'it.is to be understood that the particulanmanner .of. mounting the tong .members .onthe device..as;shown in thedrawing is merely illustrativeof myinvention and is not .tobe construedas limiting the same. ,Any, pivotal -orresilient supporting means 'mayfbe employed which will provide .anormally spaced relationship of the tong ends and will permit movement oi. the tong ends toward each other in a common plane as the tongs are actuated to grasp or pinch a portion of flesh.

Having fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A device for supporting and operating esyringes, :comprising ,an 'elcngated'tubular body, "a syringe-mounted in said body,the needle end portion of the syringe protruding from one end "of the body and the plunger or the syringe bein exposedvat the other end thereof, a pair of spring tongsrone end of which are fixed on the body at opposed sides of the upper end thereof and extending well below the lower end of said body,

.tensionaLmeans ,for normally urging the tongs in spaced relationship to each other, a pin movable-radially of the lower end portion of the body and adapted to engage the syringe to support the :same :in .raised' position, tensional means engag- .-ing-. thezsyringe tosupport the syringe tensionally consaidipin, and-ea manually operated m mberron .said body and ,operatlvely engaging said whereby actuation thereof will movethe pin into :inoperativexposition for releasing the syringe'for sudden movement into operative position.

:2.,A device for supporting and operating syringes, comprising an elongated tubular body, a-syringe mounted in said body, the needle end portionzof thesyringe protruding from one end or the bodyand the plunger of the syringe-being rexposedsat the other-end thereof, apairof spring tongs one end of which are fixed on the'body fat "opposed'sides of the upper end thereof 'and eextending wellbelow'the lower end of 'said body, {tensional -means for normally urging the tongs .rin spacedrelationship to each other, a pin mov rahle radially of the lower end portion of the bodyandiadapted'to engage the-syringe to sup- :nortthe same inraised mositiomtensional means @ngaging the .syringe to support the syringe iutensionally .on said a manually operated zmember :,onsaid body and :operatively engaging said gpin, whereby 'actuation thereof will move the pin into inoperative position for releasing the syringe :for sudden movement into "operative ,;p0siti0n,;and tensional means forisupporting said :member .in operative position.

3. A device of the character described, pom- :prisingsan elongated casing having abore opening through opposite ends thereof, a :syringe adaptedtforadetachahle mounting in :the bore of the casing, the lower portion of the-.syringehavring :an annular seat, apinmounted in the'lower portioniof the casing andadapted to extend'into 'thebore toengage said seat to support the syringe in vraised "position, the upper portion of the syringe having, at oppose-d sides, projecting .flanges, a pair of catch devices engaging said :fianges, coil springs mounted .in said casing for applying tension .to said devicesandthe syringe when held in :raised position by said pin, and a spring trigger :pivotally mounted on said casing :and operatively engaging the pin to move the name into inoperative position for suddenly refleasing asaid syringe.

4. A device of the character described, comhaving, at opposed sides, projecting flanges, a pair of catch devices engaging said flanges, coil springs mounted in said casing for applying tension to said devices and the syringe when,

held in raised position by said pin, a spring trigger pivotally mounted on said casing and operatively engaging the pin to move the same into inoperative position for suddenly releasing said syringe, and a pair of spring urged tongs fixed to opposite sides of the upper end of said casing, said tongs being adapted to support the body of a person in the operation of piercing the needle of the syringe into the body of the person.

5. The combination with a syringe of the character described, of a syringe supporting and operating device, said device comprising an elongated casing, a pair of spring urged tongs fixed at one end of the upper end of the casing, the other ends of the tongs extending beyond the lower end of the casing and directed toward each other to engage the body of a person, means on said casing for tensionally moving the syringe from a raised position to a lowered position, means on the casing engaging said syringe to support the same in raised position with respect to that part of the body engaged by said tongs, and manually actuated means on the casing for releasing said last named means to release the syringe for sudden movement in the direction of the body of a person for piercing the needle of the syringe into the body.

6. The combination with a syringe of the character described, of a syringe supporting and operating device, said device comprising an elongated casing, a pair of spring urged tongs fixed at one end of the upper end of the casing, the other ends of the tongs extending beyond the lower end of the casing and directed toward each other to engage the body of a person, means on said casing for tensionally moving the syringe from a raised position to a lowered position, means on the casing engaging said syringe to support the same in raised position with respect to that part of the body engaged by said tongs, manually actuated means on the casing for releasing said last named means to release the syringe for sudden movement in the direction of the body of a person for piercing the needle of the syringe into the body, and shock absorbing means on the upper surface of the casing and registering with a flange portion on said syringe for yieldably checking rapid downward movement of the syringe by said tensional means.

7. The combination with a syringe of the character described, of a syringe supporting and operating device, said device comprising an elongated casing, a pair of spring urged tongs fixed at one end of the upper end of the casing, the other ends of the tongs extending .beyond the lower end of the casing and directed toward each other to engage the body of a person, means on said casing for tensionally moving the syringe from a raised position to a lowered position, means on the casing engaging said syringe to, support the same in raised position with respect to that part of the body engaged by said tongs, manually actuated means on the casing for releasing said last named means to release the syringe for sudden movement in the direction of the body of a person for piercing the needle of the syringe into the body, shock absorbing means on the upper surface of the casing and registering with a flange portion on said syringe for yieldably checking rapid downward movement of the syringe by said tensional means, and inwardly projecting means on the second named end of the tongs providing a stop for limiting the degree of elevation of a portion of flesh and accurately positioning said elevated portion with respect to the needle of said syringe.

HENRY MALM.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,845,036 Busher Feb. 16, 1932 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 387,465 Germany Jan. 3, 1924 757,501 France Oct. 9, 1933 788,172 France July 22, 1935 

